Chromolaena odorata (L.) R.M. King & H. Rob. (Asteraceae) in sub-Saharan Africa : A synthesis and review of its medicinal potential

Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd..

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Chromolaena odorata (L.) R.M. King & H. Rob. (Asteraceae) is a scrambling perennial shrub that originated in the Americas, but is now common in sub-Saharan Africa, Asia and Oceania, where it has become a serious weed. The species, particularly the biotype found in Asia and West Africa, has many ethnopharmacological uses, including treatment of malaria, wounds, diarrhoea, skin infection, toothache, dysentery, stomach ache, sore throat, convulsions, piles, coughs and colds. Furthermore, no attempt has been made to synthesise and review the available literature on the usefulness of the plant in the sub-Saharan African region, hence this paper examines the beneficial attributes of C. odorata in sub-Saharan Africa.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Published information on the species was gathered by the use of different database platforms, including Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, SciFinder and Scopus.

RESULTS: Records indicate that two biotypes of C. odorata are present in sub-Saharan Africa viz. the more widespread Asian/West African C. odorata biotype (AWAB) and the southern African biotype (SAB). While the usefulness of the former is well elucidated in the literature, such information on the latter is still scarce. Although the importance of AWAB C. odorata as a fallow species and as a soil fertility improvement plant in the slash and burn rotation system of agriculture in West Africa is increasingly being recognised, its usage in traditional medicinal practice is far more appreciated. The species has a wide range of ethnopharmacological uses, possibly because of the presence of flavonoids, essential oils, phenolics, tannins and saponins. The plant is reported to have antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anthelminthic, antifungal, cytotoxic, anticonvulsant, antiprotozoal, antispasmodic, antipyretic and analgesic properties.

CONCLUSION: While the results of this review suggest that the AWAB plant can be exploited as an alternative to other threatened plant species known to possess similar medicinal potential, the medicinal and pharmacological potential of the SAB plant remains to be established. Further studies on the phytochemistry and pharmacological properties of the SAB plants will not only advance our knowledge of ethnobotany and ethnomedicine, but may also improve the health and knowledge of the local people.

Medienart:

E-Artikel

Erscheinungsjahr:

2016

Erschienen:

2016

Enthalten in:

Zur Gesamtaufnahme - volume:183

Enthalten in:

Journal of ethnopharmacology - 183(2016) vom: 13. Mai, Seite 112-122

Sprache:

Englisch

Beteiligte Personen:

Omokhua, Aitebiremen G [VerfasserIn]
McGaw, Lyndy J [VerfasserIn]
Finnie, Jeffrey F [VerfasserIn]
Van Staden, Johannes [VerfasserIn]

Links:

Volltext

Themen:

Biotype
Chromolaena odorata
Journal Article
Pharmacology
Plant Preparations
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Sub-Saharan Africa
Weed

Anmerkungen:

Date Completed 13.12.2016

Date Revised 11.04.2018

published: Print-Electronic

Citation Status MEDLINE

doi:

10.1016/j.jep.2015.04.057

funding:

Förderinstitution / Projekttitel:

PPN (Katalog-ID):

NLM249025442